LINCOLN The Nebraska women's basketball team will try to complete a season sweep of Big 12 North Division foe Colorado on Sunday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.
Tip-off is set for 2:05 p.m., with live radio coverage on the Husker Sports Network, including 98.1 KFGE in Lincoln. A free audio broadcast is also available on Huskers.com.
Coach Connie Yori's Nebraska team ran to an 80-71 win over the Buffaloes in Boulder on Feb. 6, with a late second-half rally. Kelsey Griffin scored 17 of her game-high 25 points in the second half, while Yvonne Turner made big plays down the stretch to help the Huskers escape from the Coors Events Center with their third straight road win in the series. Overall, it was NU's sixth consecutive win in the series with the Buffaloes.
Nebraska will hope for their lucky seventh straight win in the series while pushing for win No. 8 in Big 12 Conference play this season. The Huskers have dropped four of their last seven games in Big 12 play, but NU has played five of those seven contests on the road.
Nebraska (18-10, 7-7 Big 12) is coming off a 69-65 loss at No. 21 Kansas State on Wednesday in Manhattan. Griffin capped an 8-0 run in the final two minutes to tie the game at 65 with 45 seconds left, before Kansas State scored the game's final four points to hold on for its second last-second win over the Huskers this season.
It was NU's third last-second loss in the past month, joining a 62-61 loss at Kansas that involved a KU game-winning free throw with 1.4 seconds left.
Griffin has produced a monster February, averaging 19.3 points and 8.4 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game. She is coming off a 17-point, eight-rebound effort at No. 21 Kansas State on Wednesday.
Colorado comes to Lincoln with a 15-12 overall record and a 4-10 Big 12 mark after winning two of their last three games. The Buffs are coming off a 76-62 loss at Baylor on Wednesday, but knocked off Texas (67-52, Feb. 16) and then-No. 18 Kansas State (73-68, Feb. 23) in Boulder.
Colorado's win over Texas on Feb. 16 snapped a six-game losing streak that included an 80-71 loss to Nebraska in Boulder on Feb. 6.
The Buffs are led by senior All-Big 12 forward Jackie McFarland, who is averaging 17.7 points and eight rebounds per game. McFarland ranks third in the league in scoring and fifth in rebounding, but was held to just one point and 10 rebounds before fouling out in this season's first meeting at CU.
Brittany Spears has added a potent offensive weapon to Colorado's attack this season. The 6-foot forward has pumped in 14.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as one of the league's most explosive freshmen. She had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists against NU in Boulder.
Sophomore guard Bianca Smith added a big night in Boulder with 19 points, including five three-pointers. Smith leads the Buffs with 69 made three-pointers this season while shooting 38.1 percent from long range. She has produced 10.6 points per game and has recently moved into CU's starting lineup.
Colorado leads the all-time series with Nebraska 38-24, but the Huskers have controlled the series over the past several years, winning seven of the last eight games including six consecutive victories.
Starting Lineups
Colorado (15-12, 4-10) Ht. Yr. Ppg. Rpg.
FBrittany Spears 6-1 Fr. 14.0 7.6
FAija Putnina 6-3 So. 7.7 7.1
FJackie McFarland 6-3 Sr. 17.7 8.0
GBianca Smith 5-9 So. 10.6 1.7
GSusie Powers 5-10 Sr. 3.1 3.5
Nebraska (18-10, 7-7) Ht. Yr. Ppg Rpg
FKelsey Griffin 6-2 Jr. 14.7 7.1
FDanielle Page 6-2 Sr. 12.6 6.6
GYvonne Turner 5-8 So. 8.0 3.4
GDominique Kelley 5-7 Fr. 6.8 3.0
GTay Hester 5-10 Jr. 6.8 4.2
WHEN: Sunday, 2:05 p.m.
WHERE: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln
TV: None
RADIO: KFGE (98.1 FM)
WEB: Huskers.com
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